West Brom manager Tony Mowbray is aiming to unearth 'some little gems' to add to the squad which has taken the club to the verge of promotion to the Premier League.
The Baggies are virtually assured of a place in the top flight after a two
year absence as a result of the 1-1 home draw with relegation-threatened
Southampton at The Hawthorns.
Albion have moved ahead of previous leaders Stoke on goal difference with just
one game remaining of their Coca Cola Championship campaign.
And Mowbray's side would have to lose at QPR while Hull, the only side who can
deny them promotion, would have to win at Ipswich and manufacture a 12-goal
swing.
But Mowbray is already eager to start working with chairman Jeremy Peace in
trying to ensure West Brom can remain in the Premier League.
He said: 'I speak to the chairman most days. It certainly makes my job easier
when he is very professional about the way he wants the club running.
'I am happy to take my footballing philosophies and marry them to his money
management.
'Whatever people say about the chairman, he runs the club extremely well and
hopefully we can marry the two together and be successful.'
Mowbray admitted: 'It is not easy to get players. You look at players in this
country and they cost too much money. You look at players abroad and you take a
chance because you don't know the personality.
'There are a million agents with 10 million players who all think they are
good enough to play in your team.
'My job is to siphon through them all and try and come up with some little
gems that can enhance what we have already got here to help to make our team
competitive.'
Mowbray revealed his pride at helping Albion close in on regaining their place
amongst the elite barring some freak results at the weekend.
He said: 'I left a very good job in Scotland with Hibernian to try and
achieve the aim of taking Albion back to the Premier League. Standing here now,
it feels pretty good that we have achieved that.
'I am delighted for everyone at the club. It is a warm feeling inside.
'It feels good and when I tell my three-year-old that his daddy is in the
Premier League, I am sure he won't know what I am talking about but in years to
come hopefully he will understand that.
'I am here to try and be successful, to help the club achieve things, to help
the fans to be proud about the team.'
Saints boss Nigel Pearson admitted the fate of his side is out of his hands
after conceding a late equaliser and they remain in the bottom three on goal
difference from Leicester.
Southampton entertain Sheffield United at the weekend while the Foxes travel
to promotion-chasing Stoke.
Pearson said: 'It would have been nice to hold onto the lead but it wasn't to
be. It is not in our own hands because of the goal difference situation.
'But it gives us a better chance of staying up than had we been beaten.
'But the performance was heartening and there are positives to be taken from
that display. If we go about Sunday in the same vein, we've got a real fighting
chance of staying up.
'The point means we have dragged a couple more teams into the equation and I
think it is now one from five for the final (relegation) place.'